When working with video footage and editing applications, such as iMovie and Final Cut Pro, large video files need to be imported and stored on personal FireWire drives or the Temporary_Storage volumes of the lab computers. These files can't be stored in user accounts because they can be several gigabytes in size, well over the standard amount of storage space given to each user.

To calculate the amount of storage space you will need for a project, remember that uncompressed digital video requires approximately 200 MB per minute of footage, or roughly 12 GB per hour. Once your video is ripped to a storage location, you will also need space for render files and output, so add another 2-4 GB per hour, depending on the complexity of your editing, special effects, output format, etc.

Also keep in mind that you will probably shoot more footage than you will need for your finished project. A good ratio might be 5:2, or 5 minutes of footage for every 2 minutes of edited video. Here is a chart with some sample video lengths and storage sizes:

Length of final cut of video	Approximate storage space needed
3-5 minutes	4-5 GB
30 minutes	15-18 GB
60 minutes	30-40 GB

External Hard Drives:
We strongly recommend the use of a personal external hard drive to store your video files. You may be able to purchase one at a discount through UK's ebuy website - look for drives that have FireWire/IEEE 1394 ports and are compatible with Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard). Some drives may have both FireWire and USB interfaces and most can be used on both PCs and Macs, although we recommend that the drive be formatted for Macintosh if it will be used extensively in our labs. Purchasing a drive does cost more than using the Temporary_Storage volumes, but you will not have to share space with other users and your project isn't tied to a specific computer. You also won't lose your files when Temporary_Storage is erased at the end of each semester.

Temporary_Storage Volumes:
Each computer in our labs has a Temporary_Storage volume that can be used to store video files during the semester. For more information, see our Temporary_Storage FAQ.

Configuration Settings:
We have documentation for configuring the settings on iMovie and Final Cut Pro to use external hard drives and the Temporary_Storage volumes. Failure to properly configure your settings will result in an inability to import or edit footage and may cause additional problems with your account.